Mounting structure of steering column for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A mounting structure of a steering column for a vehicle is provided with a column mounting bracket coupling the steering column to a cowl cross-member. A pedal bracket is coupled to a dash panel of the vehicle and a contact prevention part is provided at the column mounting bracket so that contact between an inner end of the pedal bracket and the column mounting bracket is minimized. Therefore, injuries to a driver and noise from vibration are minimized along with an increase in workability in manufacturing and assembly of the pedal structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of Korean Application No.10-2003-0077293, filed Nov. 3, 2003, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a mounting structure of asteering column for a vehicle. More specifically, the mounting structureof the steering column is provided that minimizes a drivers ankle or leginjury from a brake pedal during a collision and/or rear-end collisionaccident.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, a steering column is fixed to a cowl cross-member by a columnmounting bracket. Various pedals are installed near a dash panel by apedal bracket. The pedals are configured to be manipulated by the driverfor functions such as acceleration, braking, and clutch operation. Thedash panel may be pushed into the occupant compartment of the vehicle bya collision or a rear-end collision accident so that the pedal bracketimpacts with the column mounting bracket.

If a dash panel is pushed toward inside of the car room during anaccident and a pedal bracket impacts with a column mounting bracket soas to suppress pushing of the pedal bracket, the pedal that is pivotallyattached to the pedal bracket may suddenly rotate toward a driver andact as an element to injure the driver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment, a mounting structure of a steeringcolumn is provided that minimizes injury to a driver from a pedalmounted on a pedal bracket. Movement of the pedal bracket and dash panelin the direction of the inside of the car is minimized during acollision or a rear-end collision accident with a column mountingbracket for fixing a steering column.

The mounting structure of the steering column for a vehicle includes asteering column, a column mounting bracket that attaches the steeringcolumn to a cowl cross-member, and a pedal bracket attached to a dashpanel. Furthermore, a contact prevention part is provided at the columnmounting bracket so that contact between the inner end of the pedalbracket and the column mounting bracket may be prevented.

Accordingly, the present invention minimizes movement of a pedal bracketduring a collision or rear-end collision accident. The pedal bracket isrefrained from making contact with a column mounting bracket and thusminimizing injury to a driver, due to sudden movement of the pedal,including ankle spraining or shin injury. Moreover, effects of vibrationand noise are minimized with the structure of the present invention aswell as simplicity in assembly and workability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a mounting structure of a steeringcolumn according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a column mounting bracket according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating coupling of a column bracketand a lower bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a steering column 1 is attached to a cowlcross-member 5 and a column mounting extension 7 by a column mountingbracket 3. A pedal 13 is pivotally attached to a dash panel 9 through apedal bracket 11. The column mounting extension 7 is firmly attached toa cowl of a car body and enables the column mounting bracket 3 to beattached to the car body firmly.

One side of the steering column 1, in a longitudinal direction, is fixedto the column mounting bracket 3 by a first bolt 15, while the otherside is attached to the column mounting bracket 3 through a lowerbracket 17. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lower side of thesteering column 1 is supported with the column mounting bracket 3through the lower bracket 17 and the lower bracket, in its installationwith steering column (1) is made in a sliding structure so thatpotential impact on a driver by contacting the steering wheel may beabsorbed during a collision accident and that sliding may be suppressedby a capsule under normal conditions.

Preferably, a strap 19 is also attached to the lower bracket so that thesteering column 1 may undergo deformation and absorb energy when itslides against the lower bracket 17.

According to a further embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower bracket17, attached with the column mounting bracket 3 includes a first flangepart 23 that overlaps with a lower surface of a left front side of thecolumn mounting bracket 3 and is penetrated by a third bolt 21. A secondflange part 27 extends from the first flange part 23 toward the rear ofthe vehicle. The second flange part 27 is overlapped with a lowersurface of a right middle side of the column mounting bracket 3 andpenetrated by a second bolt 25.

The column mounting bracket 3 includes a column mounting upper plate 29and a column mounting lower plate 31. The plates are overlapped with aspace part being formed there-between. A cowl cross-member 5 isinstalled along the width direction of the car body between the columnmounting upper plate 29 and column mounting lower plate (31).

A contact prevention part 33 is provided in the column mounting bracket3 that minimizes contact of the inner end of a pedal bracket 11 with thecolumn mounting bracket 3 during a collision or a rear-end collisionaccident of a vehicle. Referring to FIG. 2, the contact prevention part33 is of a structure in which a portion facing the inner end of thepedal bracket 11 in the front part of the column mounting bracket 3 isformed in a concave shape toward the rear of the vehicle as comparedwith other portions. In other words, a void space is provided so thatmounting bracket 3 does not contact the pedal when moved forward in acollision. Therefore, the distance from a cowl cross-member 5 to theright front part of a column mounting bracket 3 is L1 at the portionthat faces the inner end of the pedal bracket 11. Where L1 is shorterthan the distance, L2, from a cowl cross-member 5 to where the leftfront part makes contacts with the pedal brake 11.

The column mounting bracket 3 includes a plurality of fastening partsgenerally located at the rear and middle parts thereof. The columnmounting bracket 3 is fastened with the first bolt 15 and second bolt 25after they respectively pass through the column mounting lower plate 31and column mounting upper plate 29. The fastening part located at thebottom of the column mounting bracket 3 is fastened with a third bolt 21after it passes through the column mounting lower plate 31.

The left middle part of the column mounting bracket 3 is overlapped withthe bottom of the column mounting extension 7 and fixed at the columnmounting extension 7 by a second bolt 25. The second bolt 25 passesthrough the column mounting lower plate 31 and column mounting upperplate 29 and is fastened at the column mounting extension 7.

To compensate for the void created by prevention means 33, second flangepart 27 extends back to provide additional support. The right middlepart of the column mounting bracket 3 is overlapped between the bottomof the column mounting extension 7 and the top of the second flange part27 and is attached at the column mounting extension 7 by the second bolt25. The second bolt 25 passes through the second flange part 27 and thecolumn mounting lower plate 31 and column mounting upper plate 29 and isfastened at the column mounting extension 7.

Additionally, the left front part of the column mounting bracket 3 is ofthe structure, wherein, it is attached with the third bolt 21 with itsbottom surface being overlapped with the first flange part 23 of thelower bracket 17. The rear part of the column mounting bracket 3 isattached with a steering column 1 by a first bolt 15 after passingthrough the column mounting lower plate 31 and column mounting upperplate 29. If the dash panel 9 is pushed into a car room by an collisionor rear-end collision accident, the pedal bracket 11 attached at thedash panel 9 is also pushed into a car room.

The contact prevention part 33 of the column mounting bracket 3 formedin the pathway where the pedal bracket 11 is pushed and shifted, keepsthe pedal bracket 11 from contacting with the column mounting bracket 3so that the pedal 13 mounted at the pedal bracket 11 may not suddenlyrotate toward a driver. Furthermore, the structure of firm contactingand fixation between the lower bracket 17 and column mounting bracket 3is configured relatively easily while a contact prevention part 33 isprovided so as to enable movement of a pedal bracket 11. As a result,vibration and noise is minimized by fixation part of the steering column1. Also, simplicity of workability and fixation of the steering column 1can also be facilitated.

1. A mounting structure for a steering column of a vehicle, comprising:a steering column; a column mounting bracket coupling the steeringcolumn to a cowl cross-member; a pedal bracket coupled to a dash panel;and a contact prevention means disposed on the column mounting bracketso that contact between an inner end of said pedal bracket and saidcolumn mounting bracket is minimized in the event of forward movement ina collision.
 2. The mounting structure of a steering column for avehicle according to claim 1, wherein said contact prevention means hasa portion facing an inner end of said pedal bracket in a right frontpart of said column mounting bracket and is formed in a concave shapetoward a rear of a vehicle relative to other portions of said mountingbracket.
 3. The mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein saidcolumn mounting bracket comprises: a column mounting upper plate; acolumn mounting lower plate that are overlapped with a space part beingformed there-between; and a cowl cross-member installed along a widthdirection of a car body between said column mounting upper plate andcolumn mounting lower plate.
 4. The mounting structure according toclaim 3, wherein said column mounting bracket comprises: a plurality offastening parts; the fastening parts located at a rear and middle partof said column mounting bracket, said rear and middle part of saidcolumn mounting bracket being fastened with said first bolt and secondbolt after they respectively pass through said column mounting lowerplate and said column mounting upper plate together; and the fasteningpart located at the front of said column mounting bracket is fastenedwith said third bolt after it passes through said column mounting lowerplate.
 5. The mounting structure according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a lower bracket located between a front part of said columnmounting bracket and a steering column to attach said steering column tosaid column mounting bracket; and a column mounting extension thatattaches said column mounting bracket to the vehicle.
 6. The mountingstructure according to claim 5, wherein said lower bracket comprises: afirst flange part being overlapped with the lower surface of the leftfront part of the column mounting bracket and penetrated by the thirdbolt; and a second flange part extending from the first flange parttoward the rear of a vehicle, is overlapped with the lower surface ofthe right middle part of the column mounting bracket, and beingpenetrated by the second bolt.
 7. The mounting structure according toclaim 6, wherein the left middle part of said column mounting bracket isoverlapped with the bottom of said column mounting extension andattached at said column mounting extension by a second bolt that passesthrough said column mounting lower plate and column mounting upper platetogether and is fastened at said column mounting extension, and whereinthe right middle part of said column mounting bracket is overlappedbetween the bottom of said column mounting extension and said secondflange part of the lower bracket and fixed at the column mountingextension by a second bolt that passes said second flange part and saidcolumn mounting lower plate and column mounting upper plate together andis fastened at the column mounting extension.